'Not an ordinary year': Pakistani students receive their CIE AS & A Level results for June series

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>Students of Cambridge International Education’s (CIE) AS and A Level across Pakistan received their results for the June 2026 exam series on Tuesday.</p> <p>The CIE, part of Cambridge University Press and Assessment, offers internationally recognised exams to schools in 160-plus countries. In Pakistan, O Levels (grades 9–10) cover a broad subject range, while A and AS Levels (grades 11–12) are more specialised and advanced, providing pathways to higher education in Pakistan and abroad.</p> <p>While almost 368,000 students of AS &amp; A Level worldwide received their results today, over 315,000 who appeared for Cambridge IGCSE and O Level exams around the world will get their results on August 18, said a CIE press release issued on Tuesday.</p> <p>Over 100,000 students from over 850 schools across Pakistan sat for the June 2026 exam series for Cambridge International AS &amp; A Level, Cambridge O Level and IGCSE this year.</p> <p>The most popular subjects in the country were Physics, Mathematics, Business, Chemistry and Computer Science.</p> <p>This year’s June series in Pakistan and other regions was marred by the <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1996400">leak</a> of its AS/A Level Mathematics Paper 12 taken on <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1996140">April 29</a>, which the CIE subsequently cancelled and <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1998412">scheduled a re-take</a> for June 9.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.com/news/2001784'> <div class='media__item media__item--newskitlink '> <iframe class="nk-iframe" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/2001784" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms"></iframe></div> </figure> <p>Uzma Yousuf, country director for International Education at Cambridge, congratulated the learners who were receiving their exam results.</p> <p>“This has not been an ordinary year. Some students prepared for their examinations against a backdrop of regional tensions, uncertainty and disruption, which makes today’s achievement even more meaningful,” the press release quoted her as saying.</p> <p>“I hope every learner takes a moment to celebrate what they’ve accomplished,” Yousuf said, thanking teachers, parents and school communities across Pakistan who supported students.</p> <p>“At Cambridge, we believe education is about more than examination results. It’s about helping young people build the knowledge, confidence and skills to thrive at university, in their careers, and in life,” she added.</p> <p>Yousuf said CIE looked forward to continuing innovation in assessments, such as its <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="link--external" href="https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/developing-digital-exams/digital-assessment-availability/">digital exams</a> pilot this year and modular assessment options at A Level, for better inclusivity and flexibility for students.</p> <p>“Entries for Cambridge International AS &amp; A Levels rose 5 per cent on last year, reflecting the increasing global demand for qualifications that provide a trusted route to higher education,” CIE <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="link--external" href="https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/news/news-details/view/cambridge-international-as-and-a-level-entries-grow-5-per-cent-amid-rising-global-demand/">noted</a>.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.instagram.com/cambridgeint/reel/Db3E37Zmvop/'> <div class='media__item media__item--instagram media__item--relative'><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db3E37Zmvop/" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db3E37Zmvop/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank"></a></p></div></blockquote><script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div> </figure> <p>Rod Smith, group managing director for International Education at Cambridge, also congratulated the students. He noted: “More students are turning to our AS &amp; A Levels because they combine deep subject knowledge with the skills universities and employers value most.”</p> <p>Smith observed that this year’s “continued growth shows just how clearly that combination resonates in a world being reshaped by AI”, expressing confidence that AS &amp; A Levels will become increasingly important in the years ahead for this reason.</p> <p>“Whether students choose to study at home or abroad, Cambridge international qualifications open doors to opportunity and prepare learners for success in a rapidly changing world,“ said Smith, as AS &amp; A Levels students have the flexibility to stay in their home country to study.</p> <p>CIE noted that the standing of its AS &amp; A Levels as a “route to higher education is borne out by new UCAS application data”, which showed that 98pc of A Level students who applied to UK universities in the 2025 cycle received at least one offer of a place.</p> <p>In parts of the Middle East, school closures caused by regional conflict meant exams could not be sat safely, affecting almost 30,000 Cambridge students, CIE pointed out.</p> <p>Therefore, affected schools worked closely with Cambridge to deliver Portfolio of Evidence, an established contingency method that assesses students on a range of work marked by Cambridge examiners.</p> <p>CIE exams are typically held twice a year, in June and November, with results released in August and January, respectively. This year, June series papers were <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="link--external" href="https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/745759-june-2026-zone-4-timetable.pdf"><u>held</u></a> from April 23 to June 9.</p> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.